


Apotheosis

by bavariansugarcookie



Series: The River God [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mythology, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Emotional Sex, Established Relationship, Human Shiro (Voltron), Immortal Keith (Voltron), M/M, Praise Kink, Reunion Sex, Reunions, Sad with a Happy Ending, Temporary Character Death, This is really really soft I promise, happy ending guaranteed, river god Keith, very loosely inspired by Greek mythology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:09:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27273970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bavariansugarcookie/pseuds/bavariansugarcookie
Summary: Shiro wakes up from a very strange dream - he's somehow in the clearing where he first met Keith - and suddenly he looks young again. But where is Keith?
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Series: The River God [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1896112
Comments: 31
Kudos: 85





	Apotheosis

**Author's Note:**

> Shiro does die at the beginning of this fic, but it's very peaceful and very temporary, and a happy ending is 100% guaranteed!

Shiro felt fingers carding through his hair. "Shiro?"

Shiro blinked, surprised by the cold winter sunlight streaming through the window. Keith leaned over him, with a soft smile. "I made you some tea."

He supported Shiro's shoulders and held the cup to Shiro's lips. It was perfect - just warm enough to soothe the ache in his throat. 

When the cup was empty, he settled back into the bed while Keith fussed over the blankets, tucking them around him. "Do you need anything else?"

Shiro smiled and shook his head, reaching out for Keith's hand. "Thank you," he whispered. Keith brought Shiro's hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to his trembling fingers. 

Shiro had always known that his childhood illness would come back, and over the past few months the occasional muscle tremors had become his constant companion. Keith had fussed over him for months, but not even wine from his mother's cellars could make Shiro young again. 

Shiro smiled up at Keith. "You're too good to me."

Keith shook his head. "Not possible," he whispered, leaning in to kiss Shiro gently. 

Shiro smiled, squeezing Keith's hand. He suddenly felt something touch his arm and blinked awake. Keith leaned over him, looking panicked. "Shiro, are you all right?"

Shiro blinked. "I'm alright. I'm just so tired today," he admitted. Keith nodded, his brow pinched with worry as he brushed the hair out of Shiro's eyes, all white now.

"You should rest then," he murmured, picking up another blanket to make sure Shiro stayed warm. 

Shiro caught his hand and pressed a kiss to the knuckles. Keith smiled. "Flattery is not going to get you out of a nap," he teased. 

Shiro huffed out a laugh, but his eyelids were growing heavy. Before sleep could claim him, he whispered, "Keith, I love you," and Keith smiled at him, his face still as young and beautiful as ever. 

"Always, Kashi…" he whispered, twining their fingers together. "Until the river stops flowing."

Shiro squeezed Keith's fingers. He felt warm and drowsy, like a cat lying in the sun. He heard Keith's voice say something about making soup after he woke up, but it sounded very far away. He felt Keith's lips brush against his forehead, and then he dozed off, warm under all the blankets. 

He fell into a dreamless sleep, vast and empty. He was surrounded by an endless darkness but he didn't feel afraid. Gradually he noticed stars blinking into being overhead, first two or three at a time, and then suddenly there were hundreds, thousands, turning the darkness into a riot of color and light.

He looked down and gasped - the stars shone at his feet, like a mirage in the desert, and up ahead he saw nebulas and galaxies, spreading out as far as the eye could see.

And just as sudden as the stars' appearance, there was a voice. "I told you, it's impossible," a woman said, in an accent Shiro couldn't quite put his finger on. 

He looked all around, but he couldn’t see anyone - just a wide expanse of stars. But he could hear the voice as clearly as if the speaker was standing next to him.

"You and I both know that's not true," another woman said - and Shiro recognized her voice. It was Krolia, Keith's mother. He hadn't known she'd be visiting.

"Well of course I  _ can _ ," the first woman said, relenting. "But you know that I  _ shouldn't.  _ I can't grant immortality to just anyone."

"You promised me a gift when I helped you claim the throne," Krolia said. "Or have you already forgotten, Allura?"

"I have  _ not _ forgotten," Allura said sharply. "And I haven't forgotten that I granted immortality to a human on your behalf already. Was one not enough for you?"

"This is for my son," Krolia murmured. "Losing him will break him."

"Well that's very tragic, I'm sure," Allura said. "But I told you, Krolia, I can't undo this mortal's fate so easily." Krolia scoffed, and Allura continued, "You know the rules! What deeds has he accomplished? What quests has he done? Oriande isn't open to just any mortal!"

Krolia hummed, and then her voice brightened. "He brought our worship back to his village."

"He did?" Allura said, surprise bleeding into her voice despite herself. 

"Yes. He destroyed the dam that trapped my son, far away from home."

Shiro swallowed - or would have, if he wasn't dreaming. Krolia seemed to be exaggerating his accomplishments a bit.

Allura wavered. "You know the others will talk…"

"Leave that to me," Krolia said, and Shiro shuddered to think of whatever poor god dared to question her.

Allura sighed. "Very well. This pays my debt, Krolia."

"Of course," Krolia purred. 

Allura clapped her hands, and suddenly a bright light broke through the night sky, overwhelming Shiro's vision. He closed his eyes, shielding his face from the searing heat, hoping desperately to wake up. 

Suddenly a cool breeze wafted over him, and he blinked. The sun shone down on him, and he sat up slowly. It took him a moment to realize that he was on the island, where he first met Keith. 

He stood up on wobbly legs and stumbled down to the lake. He looked into the water and gasped at his reflection - his hair was still white, but his face was young again - as young as he had been when he met Keith. He looked down at his hand, one metal, one flesh, and flexed his fingers. They didn’t shake at all. 

A thrush sang out from a nearby tree, and Shiro looked up. He wanted to leave the island, to go looking for Keith. But something told him he needed to stay, so he waited - he didn't know what for.

It felt like ages later when he heard footsteps approaching. He ducked behind a tree, not ready to explain himself to some wandering villager. 

But it was no villager - it was Keith. He rested his hand on the oak tree, and Shiro stepped out to meet him. "Keith!"

Keith whirled around. "What are you doing here?" he snarled, and Shiro stopped, stumbling back. But the angry look that crossed Keith's face vanished as soon as it had appeared. "Shiro?"

Shiro nodded. He noticed that Keith looked as beautiful as ever, but his eyes were red and his cheeks were stained with tears. "It's me, Keith."

Keith reached out to touch him, staring at Shiro like he was a ghost. Shiro caught his hand and squeezed, and Keith’s face crumpled. "Takashi," he sobbed, throwing himself into Shiro’s arms. Shiro slipped in the dewy grass, sending them both tumbling to the ground. Before he could catch his breath, Keith’s lips were on his and Shiro moaned, carding his fingers through Keith’s hair to hold him close. It was familiar, but so  _ much _ \- Keith had hardly touched him and he was already overwhelmed. 

Keith leaned back, running his thumb along Shiro's scar, across his cheekbone. "It's really you," he whispered. 

Shiro blinked up at him, and then caught his hand, kissing his palm. “It’s me.” Keith buried his face in Shiro’s chest, and Shiro ran his fingers through Keith’s hair, trying to soothe him. "I don't understand," he whispered.

Keith shook his head. "I lost you," he murmured into Shiro's chest, and Shiro felt a chill run down his spine. "You slipped away while you were asleep."

"I thought I was dreaming…" Shiro said. "About your mother and Allura talking…" Keith cocked his head, and Shiro swallowed. “I think your mother blackmailed Allura into giving me immortality.”

Keith’s eyes brightened with recognition. “Of course she did,” he murmured, his lips turning up at the corners. He leaned down to nuzzle at Shiro’s throat, twining his fingers with Shiro’s and pinning them above his head. 

“ _ Keith _ ,” Shiro murmured, flushing as Keith’s lips skimmed across his pulse point. Keith hummed, smiling against his skin.

“You’re so  _ sensitive _ ,” Keith whispered, leaving a trail of open-mouthed kisses down Shiro’s throat, along his collarbone, and down his chest. Shiro whimpered, trembling in Keith’s arms. Every brush of Keith’s lips on his skin felt like flint striking steel, and any touch could be the one that set him aflame. 

Keith’s teeth teased his nipple and Shiro keened, back arching. Keith looked up. “Too much?”

Shiro nodded, winding his legs around Keith’s waist to hold him close. “I want you to overwhelm me,” he whispered. 

Keith’s eyes flashed and he leaned in for a biting kiss. “My pretty husband,” he whispered and Shiro keened, devastated by Keith’s words, his weight pinning him down, his kiss-swollen lips and wild hair. 

Shiro whined when Keith eventually pulled away, but Keith just kissed his cheek and guided Shiro’s hand to his hip. “I need you,” he murmured and Shiro groaned, tracing his fingers up Keith’s spine and then down, along the cleft of his ass, until Keith was squirming and clutching at Shiro’s arm. “Don’t make me wait, Shiro,” Keith whined. 

Shiro left biting kisses down Keith’s throat as he pressed his fingers inside. Keith’s head fell back on a moan and Shiro hardly dared to breath. Keith opened up for him so easily (benefits of being a demigod) and Shiro watched the pleasure wash over his face, still half convinced he was somehow dreaming.

Finally Keith clutched at Shiro’s shoulders, holding himself up on shaky legs and settling himself down on Shiro’s cock. Shiro’s metal fingers gripped Keith’s hip hard enough to bruise as Keith started fucking himself on Shiro’s cock, slowly at first, and then faster and faster, until Shiro could only clutch at Keith and the grass beneath him and moan. He was a cup overflowing, totally owned and ruined as Keith took him.

Suddenly Keith stilled. “Shiro - look!”

Shiro turned his head and saw tiny white and purple flowers blooming all around them - flowers that weren’t there before. “What?” he asked, confused.

But Keith laughed. “They’re yours. You made them bloom.”

Shiro’s eyes widened as he reached out and sure enough, a bud opened up at his touch. He plucked the flower and turned to Keith, with a laugh of bewildered joy.

Keith laughed again, but a tear fell. Shiro tucked the flower behind Keith’s ear and cupped his hips, flipping them over so Keith was laid out on the grass, his hair tangling with the flowers.

Keith whimpered and wrapped his arms around Shiro’s neck. Shiro bent down to him, kissing away his tears. “Yours,” he whispered and Keith nodded, giving him a blinding smile.

“Always yours,” he whispered, keening when Shiro pressed into him, kissing him breathless. And when they finally collapsed - spent - on the grass, the clearing was full of flowers, ruffled by the breeze. 

***

_ We were like gods at the dawning of the world, & our joy was so bright we could see nothing else but the other. _

_ -Madeline Miller _

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading, especially since I know character death can be really scary! Thank you for trusting me enough to read it, I really hope you enjoyed it! <3
> 
> Don't be too hard on Allura - as a goddess, human lives are so short that she can't fathom why a god/ demigod would be interested in them. But jokes on her, because she's going to fall in love with a certain talkative shepherd boy and Krolia and Keith get to be very smug about it. 
> 
> I love this AU so much (and I LOVE forest god Shiro and river god Keith!!) and I have a half-baked plan to write a slice of life fic with Keith and Shiro trying to avoid some ~drama~ with a few of the other gods. They're a very petty bunch, and I think that could be really fun to explore!
> 
> You can find me over on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/bavariancookie) if you want to talk about Sheith!


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